It’s not even July yet, but it feels like summer has been here for along time already.  We are currently about 10″ below normal for year-to-date rainfall in the Tulsa area, so we could be in for a long, hot, and dry summer.  Lawns which are irrigated properly are really looking pretty good now, as bermudagrass and zoysiagrass both love hot weather.  Fescue is on the decline though, as it will be looking pretty rough compared to the thick, green look of springtime.

Water about 2-3 times per week without any natural rainfall.

Turfgrass during the summer in Tulsa will require about 1.5 up to 2″  of water per week to perform well.  This means that without any rainfall, you’ll need to irrigate about 2-3 times weekly.  Water only early in the morning if possible, especially on fescue turf.  Overwatering or watering in the evening will lead to Brown Patch disease problems on fescue.  The biggest mistake many homeowners make in watering is not applying enough water each time you irrigate.   At least 1/2″ of water should be applied with each irrigation, getting the moisture down deep into the soil root zone.  This means leaving your sprinklers out or running your irrigation cycles for up to 30 minutes each, depending upon your water pressure and coverage.” (more…)